Electronic play device, control method for electronic play device and game program

ABSTRACT

A moving operation having much amusement particularly in a simulated shooting game using a simulated gun is implemented in accordance with an input operated by a player character that plays a role as a player. In order to achieve this, as a plurality of objects set in a virtual space, there are a player character (P) that is operated in accordance with an operation of the player, an enemy character (E) that becomes a match-up opponent of the player character (P), and a plurality of shield objects (G) that are disposed in movement areas of the player character (P) and the enemy character (E). When a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired from viewing the objects inside the virtual space from a virtual view point is performed in accordance with an output from an input device operated by the player and the transformed image is displayed in a display device, in a case where there is a movement direction for the player character (P) and/or the enemy character E, the movement destination of one character that receives the movement direction is set based on a position relationship between the other character and the shield object (G).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to an electronic play device, a controlmethod for an electronic play device, and a game program. In particular,the present invention relates to preferable modification of controltechnology that is applied to an arcade-type gun-shooting game device.

2. Description of Related Art

A simulated gun-shooting game in which a player (gamer) shoots an enemycharacter inside a screen by operating a gun-type controller andacquires a score based on the success of the shooting is frequentlyimplemented, for example, in so-called arcade-type electronic playdevices.

In the above-described electronic play devices, three-dimensionalvirtualization technology in which objects are disposed in a virtualspace formed as a three dimension, a perspective transformation processis performed for an image acquired from viewing the image from a virtualview point, and the transformed image is displayed on a monitor is used.An object described here is an object (target object) that is defined inthe virtual space and is a generic term including a character (playercharacter) that plays a role of the player, the enemy character, abackground, and other targets.

As a conventional electronic play device for the above-describedsimulated gun shooting game, there is an electronic play device havingselection inputting means that can be operated by a player for switchingbetween a attack state in which the player character attacks the enemycharacter with its body exposed to the enemy character without hiding inan object formed of a gimmick such as a post and a state of defense inwhich the player character hides its body in a shadow of an object (forexample, see Patent Documents 1 and 2). In addition, there is anelectronic play device that has a pedal as means for operating theplayer character (for example, see Patent Document 3).

-   Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.    9-131466-   Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.    11-169557-   Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.    2000-116946

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

However, even when the attack state in which the body is exposed and thedefense state in which the body is hidden can be selectively input, asdescribed above, there is a case where the player character cannot befreely operated by the operation of the player. As an example, forexample, there may be an electronic play device in which arepresentation that the player character is automatically moved to aplace determined as a next point along a predetermined path bysatisfying a predetermined progress condition such as destroying all theenemies appearing in a specific spot, elapse of a predetermined time, orgiving predetermined damage is set. In such a case, when the playercannot be freely operated by the player's operation in the middle of anactual shooting game, the amusement of the electronic play device as arecent game device is insufficient.

On the other hand, the above-described electronic play device canoperate the player character by using the pedal, which can increase theamusement of the game. However, the pedal is used only for operations,for example, that are performed for placing the player character to facethe right or left side in the current position, and the electronic playdevice is not new and striking as a device for recent game devices thathave various functions.

The object of the present invention is to provide an electronic playdevice, a control method for an electronic play device and a gameprogram for implementing moving operations having much amusement,particularly in a simulated shooting game using a simulated gun, inaccordance with an operation input for a player character that plays arole as a player.

Means for Solving the Problems

In order to solve the above-described problems, the inventors of thepresent invention went through various considerations. For example, inthe above-described electronic play device for a simulated gun-shootinggame, there is an important factor in a tactic for appropriatelyswitching conflicting factors of attack power and defense power such asattacking the enemy character in a dangerous state in which the body isexposed or defending the player character in a safe state in which thebody is hidden in the shadow of an object by using a shield objectformed of a gimmick such as a post. With this point primarily focused,the inventors of the present invention come to acquire a new finding forsolving the above-described problems after repeating reviews for notonly switch of the direction of the player character in the currentposition but also shield object related matters.

The present invention is based on the above-described finding. Accordingto the present invention, there is provided an electronic play devicethat sets a player character that is operated in accordance with anoperation of a player, an enemy character that becomes a match-upopponent of the player character, and a plurality of shield objects thatare disposed in movement areas of the player character and the enemycharacter in a virtual space as a plurality of objects, performs acoordinate transformation process for an image acquired by viewing theobjects inside the virtual space from a virtual view point in accordancewith an output from an input device that is operated by the player byusing an image processing device, and displays the transformed image ina display device. The electronic play device includes movement controlmeans that, in a case where there is a movement direction for the playercharacter and/or the enemy character, sets a movement destination of onecharacter, which receives the movement direction, between the playercharacter and the enemy character based on a position relationshipbetween the other character and the shield objects.

According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic playcontrol method for controlling a moving operation of any of objects at atime when a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired byviewing the objects inside a virtual space from a virtual view point inaccordance with an output from an input device that is operated by aplayer is performed by using an image processing device and thetransformed image is displayed in a display device. A plurality of theobjects set in the virtual space include a player character that isoperated in accordance with an operation of the player, an enemycharacter that becomes a match-up opponent of the player character, anda plurality of shield objects that are disposed in movement areas of theplayer character and the enemy character. In addition, in a case wherethere is a movement direction for the player character and/or the enemycharacter, a movement destination of one character, which receives themovement direction, between the player character and the enemy characteris set based on a position relationship between the other character andthe shield objects.

According to the present invention, there is provided a game program forallowing a computer of an electronic play device, which sets a playercharacter that is operated in accordance with an operation of a player,an enemy character that becomes a match-up opponent of the playercharacter, and a plurality of shield objects that are disposed inmovement areas of the player character and the enemy character in avirtual space as a plurality of objects performs a coordinatetransformation process for an image acquired by viewing the objectsinside the virtual space from a virtual view point in accordance with anoutput from an input device that is operated by the player by using animage processing device, and displays the transformed image in a displaydevice, to perform in a case where there is a movement direction for theplayer character and/or the enemy character, a sequence for setting amovement destination of one character, which receives the movementdirection, between the player character and the enemy character, basedon a position relationship between the other character and the shieldobjects.

In movement control technology according to the aspects of the presentinvention when there is a movement direction for one character themovement destination of the character is automatically set based on aposition relationship between the other character and the shield object.In such a case, instead of a simple operation of switching the directionof the player character in the current position, an operation forappropriately moving the player character within a predetermined areacan be performed. In addition, a moving operation of the playercharacter to a point that can be changed in various manners based on theshield object and the other character (for example, the enemy character)can be performed. Accordingly, for example, in the above-describedsimulated gun shooting game, an operation having high relevance to theshield object (and the other character) formed of a gimmick such as apost is implemented. As a result, the player can enjoy the tactic, whichis accompanied by switching between conflicting factors of the attackpower and the defense power, such as transiting to a safe state in whichthe body is hidden in the shadow of the shield object once and thenappropriately transiting to a dangerous state in which the body isexposed for attack to the full. Furthermore, the movement controltechnology according to the present invention that automatically setsthe movement destination may be represented in a manner that so-called ascenario is set for the movement destination of the character. In such acase, even a player (for example, a player who plays the game for thefirst time) who is not accustomed to the electronic play device caneasily start the game and enjoy the game sufficiently.

In the above-described aspects, it is preferable that the movementcontrol means sets the movement destination of the one character thatreceives the movement direction to a position in which at least a partof the one character viewed from a view point of the other character, ishidden behind the shield object.

In addition, it may be configured that the shield object that is locatedclosest to the one character in the movement direction of the onecharacter that receives the movement direction is set as a movementdestination shield object and the movement destination is set to aposition located behind the movement destination shield object.

In addition, in the above-described movement control technology, in acase where the one character receives the movement direction, themovement destination of the one character that receives the movementdirection may be set to a point on a virtual straight line that connectsthe position of the other character at a time point when the movementdirection is received and a reference point of the movement destinationshield object.

It is appropriate that the electronic play device according to theaspects of the invention provides a shooting game using a simulated gunand has a gun-type controller that can perform a simulated operation andleft and right independent pedal switches that can be operated to movethe player character in one direction and the other direction asmovement directing means, as the input device.

In such a case, if the electronic play device further includes a gunaiming position detecting unit that detects an aiming position of thegun-type controller and moving speed of the player character isconfigured to be changed in accordance with the gun aiming position, theamusement of the gun-shooting game can be improved further.

In addition, it is preferable that, when the movement direction for adirection that is reverse to a moving direction is received from thepedal switch during a moving operation of the player character in themoving direction, the player character is turned back to be moved in thereverse direction and a new movement destination is set in a movementdirection after the turning-back operation.

In addition, it is more preferable that the pedal switches also serve asspecial command inputting means used for directing a special operationother than the moving operation to the player character in a case wherea predetermined operation is input under a predetermined condition. Insuch a case, by setting so-called a secret method using the specialcommand, the amusement of the gun-shooting game can be improved further.

In addition, the object of the present invention is to provide controltechnology of movement of the virtual camera that notifies a player ofthe surrounding environment of a predetermined object without decreasingthe realistic sensation of the game. In order to achieve theabove-described object, according to the present invention, an imageprocessing device that executes a game application program determinesthe danger that the player character inside the virtual space faces, andthe virtual camera is forcedly moved from a position of the first personpoint of view to a position of the third person point of view during alimited time period.

According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic playdevice including: an image processing device that disposes a pluralityof objects in a virtual space, changes the position of a virtual viewpoint in accordance with an output from an operation device operated bya player, performs a coordinate transformation process for an imageacquired from viewing the objects within the virtual space from thevirtual view point, and displays the transformed image in display means.Here, the image processing device includes: first means that disposes afirst object in the virtual space; second means that disposes a secondobject near the first object; third means that disposes the virtual viewpoint in a first position near the second object; fourth means thatdisposes the virtual view point in a second position departed from thesecond object; fifth means that calculates the degree of influence ofobjects other than the first object and the second object on the firstobject; and sixth means that places the virtual view point in the firstposition before the result of calculation exceeds a threshold value,moves the virtual view point located in the first position from thefirst position to the second position when the result of calculationexceeds the threshold value to be fixed to the second position, andreleases fixing of the virtual view point to the second position after alimited time elapses.

According to the present invention, there is provided an imageprocessing method in which an electronic play device including an imageprocessing device that disposes a plurality of objects in a virtualspace, changes the position of a virtual view point in accordance withan output from an operation device operated by a player, performs acoordinate transformation process for an image acquired from viewing theobjects within the virtual space from the virtual view point, anddisplays the transformed image in display means is implemented. Here,the image processing device, based on a game program, includes: a firstprocess that disposes a first object in the virtual space; a secondprocess that disposes a second object near the first object; a thirdprocess that disposes the virtual view point in a first position nearthe second object; a fourth process that disposes the virtual view pointin a second position departed from the second object; a fifth processthat calculates the degree of influence of objects other than the firstobject and the second object on the first object; and a sixth processthat places the virtual view point in the first position before theresult of calculation exceeds a threshold value, moves the virtual viewpoint located in the first position from the first position to thesecond position when the result of calculation exceeds the thresholdvalue to be fixed to the second position, and releases fixing of thevirtual view point to the second position after a limited time elapses.

According to the present invention there is provided a computer programthat implements the above-described processes in an image processingdevice.

As described above, according to the present invention for example, bymoving the position of the view point that is in the first person pointof view to a position of the third person point of view only during amoment at which the player character is in danger, a chance for theplayer to objectively recognize the virtual space is given withoutdecreasing the realistic sensation on the basis of the first personpoint of view.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, by performing an automatic controlprocess in accordance with an input operation for the player characterthat plays a role as a player, a moving operation having much amusementparticularly in a simulated shooting game using a simulated gun can beimplemented. In addition, according to the present invention for exampleby moving the position of the view point that is in the first personpoint of view to a position of the third person point of view onlyduring a moment at which the player character is in danger a chance forthe player to objectively recognize the virtual space is given withoutdecreasing the realistic sensation on the basis of the first personpoint of view.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the external configuration ofan electronic play device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the overview of a game deviceaccording to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of the game device represented inFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically representing a field in which avirtual gun battle is developed.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a posture(attack posture) of a player character and an aimed position in a statethat the player character hides behind a screening object.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a posture(non-attack posture) of the player character and an aimed position in astate that the player character hides behind the screening object.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between an operation ofeach pedal switch performed by a player and moving operations of theplayer character to the left or right side.

FIG. 8 is a diagram representing an example of positions in which theplayer character can hide in the shadow of the screening object.

FIG. 9 is a diagram representing a control process for selecting aposition located on the opposite side of the enemy character through thescreening object as a movement destination in consideration of theposition of the enemy character in addition to the position of thescreening object.

FIG. 10 is a diagram representing a control process for setting themovement destination to a position that is on a circular peripheralhaving a predetermined distance from the center of the screening objectand is located on an extended line that connects the position of theenemy character and the center of the screening object.

FIG. 11 is a diagram representing an example of a default hidingposition and other hiding positions of the player character.

FIG. 12 is a diagram representing an example of a shooting posture and anon-shooting posture of the player character in a case where thescreening object is a drum can.

FIG. 13 is a diagram representing a control process for selecting aposition located on the opposite side of the enemy character through thescreening object as a movement destination in consideration of theposition of the enemy character in addition to the position of thescreening object.

FIG. 14 is a diagram representing a control process for setting themovement destination to a position that is on a circular peripheralhaving a predetermined distance from the center of the screening objectand is located on an extended line that connects the position of theenemy character and the center of the screening object.

FIG. 15 is a diagram representing an example of a default hidingposition and other hiding positions of the player character.

FIG. 16 is a diagram representing an example of a shooting posture and anon-shooting posture of the player character in a case where thescreening object is a post.

FIG. 17 is a diagram representing a control process for selecting aposition located on the opposite side of the enemy character through thescreening object as a movement destination in consideration of theposition of the enemy character in addition to the position of thescreening object.

FIG. 18 is a diagram representing a control process for setting themovement destination to a position that is on a circular peripheralhaving a predetermined distance from the center of the screening objectand is located on an extended line that connects the position of theenemy character and the center of the screening object.

FIG. 19 is a diagram representing an example of a default hidingposition and other hiding positions of the player character.

FIG. 20 is a diagram representing an example of a shooting posture and anon-shooting posture of the player character in a case where thescreening object is a tanker.

FIG. 21 is a diagram representing an operation of a player character ata time when the player character moves toward a position in which theplayer character can hide in the shadow of the nearest screening objectin the movement direction.

FIG. 22 is a diagram representing an operation of a player character ata time when the player character moves toward a position in which theplayer character can hide in the shadow of the nearest screening objectin the movement direction in a turning-back operation.

FIG. 23 is a diagram representing a setting example of a movementdestination for a case where the screening object has a long and thinshape in the movement direction.

FIG. 24 is a diagram representing a setting example in which themovement destination is set on an extended line connecting the positionof the enemy character and the center of the screening object for a casewhere the screening object has a long and thin shape in the movementdirection.

FIG. 25 is a diagram representing a control operation for setting themovement destination to a position that is located on a line parallel tothe movement direction in the shadow of the screening object and islocated on an extended line connecting the position of the enemycharacter and the center of the screening object.

FIG. 26 is a diagram representing an example of a default hidingposition and other hiding positions of the player character.

FIG. 27 is a diagram representing an example of a shooting posture and anon-shooting posture of the player character in a case where thescreening object is a wall.

FIG. 28 is a diagram for describing various hiding positions of theplayer character.

FIG. 29 is a diagram representing an example in which two default hidingpositions are set for a thin and long screening object.

FIG. 30 is a diagram representing a basic action (aiming) of a characteraccording to an embodiment together with examples of a detailed screenand objects.

FIG. 31 is a diagram representing a basic action (running) of acharacter according to an embodiment together with examples of adetailed screen and objects.

FIG. 32 is a diagram representing a basic action (turning back) of acharacter according to an embodiment together with examples of adetailed screen and objects.

FIG. 33 is a diagram representing a jumping aside operation and ajumping aside shot according to an embodiment together with examples ofa detailed screen and objects.

FIG. 34 is a diagram representing an avoiding operation of the characteraccording to an embodiment together with examples of a detailed screenand objects.

FIG. 35 is a diagram representing a flow of representations of a headshot, a counter shot, and a staggering operation.

FIG. 36 is a diagram representing a condition subsequent (resetcondition) of a normal zoom operation.

FIGS. 37A to 37D are image examples for representing the processsequence and content of the normal zoom operation.

FIG. 38 is an image example for representing the process sequence andcontent of the quick zoom operation.

FIG. 39 is an example of a flowchart for describing control of a movingoperation of the character.

FIG. 40 is an example of a flowchart for describing the process sequenceof the normal zoom operation.

FIG. 41 is an example of a flowchart for describing the process sequenceof the quick zoom operation.

FIG. 42 is a first example of a play screen displayed on a monitor.

FIG. 43 is a second example of a play screen displayed on a monitor.

FIG. 44 is a third example of a play screen displayed on a monitor.

FIG. 45 is a fourth example of a play screen displayed on a monitor.

FIG. 46 is a flowchart representing a data processing operation of anelectronic play device.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SYMBOLS

10: CPU BLOCK

11: VIDEO BLOCK

12: SOUND BLOCK

100: BUS ARBITER

101: CPU (CONTROL DEVICE)

102: MAIN MEMORY

103: ROM

107: OPERATION DEVICE

110: VDP

111: GRAPHIC MEMORY

112: VIDEO CONVERTER

120: SOUND PROCESSOR

121: SOUND MEMORY

122: D/A CONVERTER

130: COMMUNICATION DEVICE

300: GAME DEVICE (ELECTRONIC PLAY DEVICE

302: FIRST CASING

304: SECOND CASING

306: MONITOR (DISPLAY DEVICE)

308: GUN-TYPE CONTROLLER (INPUT DEVICE)

310: PEDAL SWITCH (INPUT DEVICE)

312: PEDAL SWITCH (INPUT DEVICE)

600: PROGRAM DATA STORING UNIT

602: CONTROL UNIT

604: TRIGGER OF GUN-TYPE CONTROLLER

606: GUN AIMING POSITION DETECTING UNIT

E: ENEMY CHARACTER (OBJECT)

G: SCREENING OBJECT (SHIELD OBJECT)

16

P: PLAYER CHARACTER (OBJECT)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, the configuration of the present invention will bedescribed in detail based on examples of embodiments illustrated indrawings.

FIGS. 1 to 41 illustrate embodiments of the present invention. Anelectronic play device 300 according to the present invention isso-called an arcade-type gun shooting game device. The electronic playdevice 300 includes casings 302 and 304 that constitute a device mainbody, an input device (a gun-type controller 308 and pedal switches 310and 312), a monitor (display device) 306, and the like, as basicconstituent elements thereof (See FIG. 1 and the like).

Hereinafter, the electronic play device 300 according to this embodimentwill be described with reference to drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspectiveview illustrating the whole electronic play device (hereinafter, alsoreferred to as a game device) 300 according to the present invention.The game device (the electronic play device) 300 includes a first casing302 and a second casing 304. To the upper part of the first casing 302,a monitor 306 is installed. To the second casing 304, a coin insertionslot and a gun-type controller 308 as an operation device are connected.A communication line is drawn out from the gun-type controller 308, andthe communication line is connected to the second casing 304. Inaddition, the entire height of the second casing 304 is smaller thanthat of the first casing 302, and thus, it is configured that the fieldof view of a player is not blocked. Inside the first casing 304, acontrol board of the electronic play device is housed. In addition,pedal switches 310 and 312 as input devices are disposed from a frontend of the lower end of the second casing 304 on the player side towardthe player. There are left and right pedal switches. By player'sindividually pushing the left and right pedal switches 310 and 312 bythe feet, a character (hereinafter, referred to as a player character) Pinside a screen for which a player plays a role can be moved to the leftor right side or a special command can be input.

In the above-described game device 300, a player can enjoy a simulatedgun battle game by hitting a simulated bullet that has been shot towardan enemy character E displayed on the monitor 306 by pulling a triggerin a state that the player aims the gun-type controller to be faced withthe monitor 306 and bring the enemy character E down. The playercharacter P inside the screen for which the player plays a role performsa gun battle with the enemy character E while hiding the body behindvarious gimmicks (in descriptions here, these are referred to asscreening objects G) as shield objects imitating a post, a wall, a drumcan, or the like. During the game, when the player pulls the trigger ofthe gun-type controller 308, an operation signal from the gun-typecontroller 308 is transmitted to the control board. At this moment, thecontrol board determines whether the enemy character E is shot by abullet. When the enemy character is shot, an image representation suchas bringing the enemy character E down is performed.

Here, the gun-type controller 308 as an input device is formed of asimulated shooting gun such as a handgun, a machine gun, a rifle, or thelike that is used for shooting the enemy appearing during the game. Inaddition, the pedal switches 310 and 312 as input devices are formed ofleft and right pedals to be pushed by the feet for directing the playercharacter P in the game to perform an action such as moving to the leftor right side, jumping aside, or the like or directing an input of aspecial command.

The gun-type controller 308 is an input device that is held and operatedin the hands of the player, and is connected to the control unit 602,for example, through a connection cord and an input-output interface(not illustrated). In addition, together with the gun-type controller308, a gun aiming position detecting unit 606 that is used for detectingthe aiming position of the gun-type controller 308 is disposed. Forexample, the gun aiming position detecting unit 606 according to thisembodiment is configured to include a light receiving element that isdisposed in the gun-type controller 308 for reading a scanning spot (alight point of an electronic beam) of the point of impact on the monitor306. By using the gun aiming position detecting unit 606, it can bedetermined whether the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 isplaced to face the inside of the screen of the monitor 306 or theoutside of the screen. In addition, in the gun-type controller 308, atrigger switch that is operated in correspondence with the operation ofthe trigger of the gun-type controller 308 is disposed. A timing ofdetecting the scanning spot and a signal of the trigger timing aretransmitted to the input-output interface through the connection cord.

The input-output interface of the gun-type controller 308, for example,is connected to the gun-type controller 308. Accordingly, shooting ofthe gun-type controller 308, the impact place, the number of shots, andthe like are determined based on a detection signal of the scanning spottransmitted from the gun-type controller 308, a trigger signal thatrepresents release of the trigger of the gun-type controller 308, theposition of the current coordinates (X, Y) of the scanning electronicbeam on the monitor 306, and the position of the target, and variousflags corresponding thereto are set in predetermined positions insidethe RAM.

The pedal switches 310 and 312 are the input devices for directing theoperation of the character in the game by being pushed by the player'sfeet. For example, the pedal switches are connected to the control unit602 through a connection cord and an input-output interface (notillustrated). In addition, the pedal switches according to thisembodiment are configured by the left pedal 310 and the right pedal 312that are independent pedals located on the right and left sides. Theseleft and right pedal switches 310 and 312 are disposed on the left andright sides with a gap of an approximate shoe width of one footinterposed therebetween, so that the player can push one of the pedalsby changing the direction of a toe with a heel of one foot used as anaxis (pivot) by the player. However, this is merely one example ofdisposition of both the pedal switches 310 and 312. Thus, other thanthat, for example, the left pedal 310 and the right pedal 312 may bedisposed to be pushed by the left and right feet. Each of the pedalswitches 310 and 312 includes a switch that is shifted in a case wherethe pedal switch is pushed by the foot and is configured to transmit asignal to the input-output interface in a case where the pedal switch ispushed by the player's foot. In addition, according to this embodiment,another operation (for example, an operation for jumping aside) isconfigured to be performed for a case where an operation of pushing thepedal switches 310 and 312 twice within a short time period, that is,so-called a double click operation is performed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the overview of the game device300. A program data memory unit 600 stores game programs and data neededfor processes on the basis of the game programs. The game programs ordata is stored in a recording medium such as an optical disc a hard diskor a semiconductor memory such as a flash memory. The control unit 602determines the behavior of the player character P based on an outputfrom a device operated by the player, the game program and the datastored in the memory unit 600. The operation devices are a trigger 604of the gun-type controller, the gun aiming position detecting unit 606that detects the direction (aiming) that the gun-type controller facesand the left and right pedal switches 310 and 312.

The gun aiming position detecting unit 606 that detects the aiming ofthe gun-type controller 308 is configured as follows. As illustrated inFIG. 24 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-86038, aplurality of LEDs is disposed near a display panel and is configured toemit light sequentially. Then, a plurality of light receiving unitsdisposed in a simulation controller receives the light. Then, thecontrol unit 602 analyzes signals from each light receiving unit so asto detect the direction of the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller308. The control unit 602 determines the position of a virtual viewpoint inside the virtual space based on the game program. Then, thecontrol unit 602 performs a projection transformation process for animage acquired from viewing the virtual space from the position of thevirtual view point and displays the transformed image in a display unit608. In addition, the game program generates various sound effects suchas a bullet shooting sound or a hit sound and generates the soundeffects by using a sound generating unit 610.

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of the game device 300 illustrated inFIG. 2. The above-described control unit 602 includes a CPU block 10, avideo block 117 and a sound block 12. The CPU block 10 is a main bodyfor performing an image process based on the game program and includes abus arbiter 100, a CPU 101, a main memory 102, a ROM 103, and a programdata memory unit 600. The bus arbiter 100 is configured to be able tocontrol data reception and data transmission by assigning a busoccupying time period to a device that is interconnected with thearbiter through a bus.

The CPU 101 serving as a control device transfers program data for anoperating system stored in the game program data memory unit 600 to themain memory 102 by executing an initial program (initial executionprogram) that is stored in the ROM 103 at a time when the power isturned on. Thereafter, the CPU 101 is operated in accordance with theoperating system. Thus, the CPU continuously transfers the applicationprogram data stored in the program data memory unit to the main memory102 and executes the program. In addition, the CPU 101 is configured tobe able to transfer image data to a graphic memory 111 and transfervoice data to a sound memory 121. The processes performed by the CPU 101in accordance with the program data are mainly an input of an operationsignal from an operation device 107 and analysis of communication datafrom the communication device 130 and an image process directed to thevideo block 11 and a voice process directed to the sound block 12, basedthereon.

The main memory 102, in addition to mainly storing the above-describedprogram data for the operating system and the application program dataprovides a work area in which a static variable, a dynamic variable, orthe like is stored to the CPU. The ROM 103 is an area in which aninitial program loader is stored.

In the program data memory unit, program data for enabling the gamedevice 300 to perform a predetermined image processing method, imagedata for displaying an image, voice data for outputting voice, and thelike are stored. For example, in this embodiment, shape data (inparticular, for example, an object such as the enemy character E andthree-dimensional data such as a game background including a landscape,a building, the inside of a house, a subway, or the like) relating to agame and the like are stored. In addition, the game device 300 canenable the player character P to fight against an enemy character Eoperated by a match-up player as a match-up opponent in a common virtualthree-dimensional space by exchanging data with another game devicethrough the communication device 130. When there is no match-up player,the enemy character E is operated by the CPU 101.

The operation device 107 outputs an operation signal corresponding tothe state of a gamer's operation performed by a player for the operationbutton or the like to a bus of the CPU block 10. The video block 11includes a VDP (Video Display Processor) 110, a graphic memory 111, anda video converter 112. In the graphic memory 111, as described above,the image data read out from the program data memory unit is stored.

The VDP 110 is configured to read image data needed for image displayfrom the image data stored in the graphic memory 111 and performcoordinate transformation (geometry calculation), a texture mappingprocess, a display prioritizing process, a shading process, or the likein accordance with data needed for image display which is supplied fromthe CPU 101, that is, command data, view point position data, lightsource position data, object designating data, object position data,texture designating data, texture density data, field of sightconverting matrix data, or the like.

In addition, the above-described processes such as the coordinatetransformation may be configured to be performed by the CPU 101. Inother words, a process is assigned to a specific device in considerationof calculation capability of each device. The video converter 112 isconfigured to convert the image data generated by the VDP 110 into apredetermined television signal in an NTSC mode or the like and outputthe television signal to the monitor 306 that is connected externally.

The sound block 12 includes a sound processor 120, a sound memory 121,and a D/A converter 122. In the sound memory 121, as described above,the voice data read out from the CD-ROM is stored. The sound processor120 is configured to read out the voice data such as waveform datastored in the memory 121 and perform various effect processes on thebasis of a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) function, a digital/analogconversion process, and the like based on the command data supplied fromthe CPU 101. Then, the D/A converter 122 is configured to be able toconvert the voice data generated by a sound processor 120 into an analogsignal and output the analog signal to a speaker 5 that is connectedexternally.

Next, the flow of a game will be described with the content of the gamedevice 300 according to this embodiment before a virtual gun fightexemplified.

In this embodiment, a one-to-one gun battle between a character (theplayer character P) operated by the player and a character (the enemycharacter E) that is an enemy is virtually played. In such a case, theoperation of the enemy character E is controlled by the CPU in aplayer's single play mode (for example, a story mode in which arepresented story and a mission, under which a virtual gun battle isplayed, are alternately displayed). On the other hand, the enemycharacter is operated in accordance with an operation of the otherplayer in a mode (the match-up mode) in which two players play a battle.In addition, in the story mode, each time an enemy character E isbrought down so as to proceed to the next stage, a deployment in whichanother enemy character E as a stronger enemy appears can be used.

In addition, according to the game device 300 of to this embodiment, ina field in which the virtual gun battle is deployed, the playercharacter P is configured to be moved to the left or right side within amovement area that is located on the front side of the screen, and theenemy character E is configured to be moved to the left or right sidewithin a movement area that is located on the inner side of the screen(see FIG. 4). In addition, in each movement area, an object for hidingeach character's body so as not to be attacked by the other character isdisposed. For example, in this embodiment, a plurality of (for example,two to four) screening objects G that are formed of gimmicks such as adrum can and a post are disposed in each movement area (see FIG. 4).

In addition, according to this embodiment, the player character P in ahiding state behind the screening object G is programmed to be shiftedbetween a shooting posture (attack posture) and a non-shooting posture(defense posture) in accordance with the direction of the gun-typecontroller 308 held in the hands of the player (see FIGS. 5 and 6). Inother words, for a state that the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller308 faces the inside of the screen of the monitor 306, the playercharacter takes a shooting posture in which the gun muzzle faces theenemy character E (FIG. 5). On the other hand, for a state that the gunmuzzle of the gun-type controller 308 faces the outside of the screen ofthe monitor 306, the player character takes a non-shooting posture inwhich the body is hidden behind the shape of the screening object G(FIG. 6). In the non-shooting posture located behind the screeningobject G, basically the player character P is in a state completelyhidden by the shadow of the screening object G. Thus, in the state,unless the screening object G is destroyed, there is no case that theplayer character is shot by the enemy character E (FIG. 5). On the otherhand, in the shooting posture, the player character is in a posture thata part of the body (for example, an upper body, a left-half orright-half body, or the like) of the player character P is exposed fromthe shadow of the screening object G. Thus, the player character is in astate that the player character can shoot and can be damaged by beingshot by the enemy character E (FIG. 6).

In addition, according to this embodiment, the player character P can bemoved to the left or right side by player's operating the pedal switches310 and 312 by using the feet (see FIG. 7). In particular, the playercharacter P can be moved to the left side on the screen by player'spushing the left pedal 310 and can be moved to the right side on thescreen by player's pushing the right pedal 312. In addition when thepedal switch 310 or 312 for the reverse direction is pushed by using thefoot during movement of the player character in one direction, themoving direction is reversed, and the player character can be moved inthe directed direction. In addition, in moving the player character tothe left or right side when the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller308 faces the inside of the screen of the monitor 306, the playercharacter P moves in the shooting posture (aimed movement). On the otherhand, when the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 faces theoutside of the screen of the monitor 306, the player character moves inthe non-shooting posture (defensive movement).

In addition, the progress and result of a virtual gun battle between theplayer character P and the enemy character E and the shooting capabilityof the player can be quantified to be displayed, for example, asfollows. Various elements such as physical strength, shootingcapability, and agility are quantified and set depending on the type ofthe enemy character E, and damage points corresponding to hit points ofa head part, a body part, hands, and legs of each character are set inadvance. A character hit by a bullet on each hit point receives damagecorresponding to the hit point, and corresponding points are subtractedfrom the strength point. While a virtual gun battle is played, thestrength point that is displayed in a strip-like shape inside the screen(for example, an upper left part of the screen) all the time iscalculated each time the character is hit by a bullet (a bullet lands inthe character), and is displayed as the total remaining strength. Whenthe strength point is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, acorresponding character (the player character P or the enemy characterE) falls down on the screen and is treated as a defeated character. Inaddition, by using the above-described strength point and the like, theshooting capability of the player that is determined based on what typeof the enemy is brought down within a predetermined time and/or how manyenemy characters E are brought down within a predetermined time can berepresented quantitatively.

In addition, in the above-described quantifying technique for asimulated gun battle, additionally, the damage points corresponding tothe hit points can be set differently, as in a case where the damagepoint is set high for a case that the head part is hit by a bullet andset low for a case that any other point is hit by a bullet. In addition,points (strength values) may be set and calculated for each spot such asa hand or a leg, and a process and a representation that are forbreaking up a part from the other parts for a case where the pointcorresponding to the part is equal to or smaller than a predeterminedvalue can be performed. In the game device 300 according to thisembodiment, the strength point can be set in a wide variety of ways asdescribed above. For example, settings and representations in which astrength point is configured to be easily decreased for a specific enemycharacter E (a specific enemy character is configured to be easilybrought down) by setting the width of decrease in the strength point tobe large, the areas of the hit points to be large, or the like and astrong enemy character cannot be easily brought down by being hit by abullet several times can be performed.

In addition, the game device 300 according to this embodiment has a samereload function as that of a conventional device. The reload functionsimulates a real shooting gun by arranging an upper limit of the numberof loaded simulated bullets of the gun-type controller 308 and requiringan operation for loading (reloading) bullets in the middle of asimulated shooting operation. For example, in this embodiment, arepresentation in which simulated bullets are automatically loaded in acase where the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 faces theoutside of the screen of the monitor 306 is performed. The number ofremaining simulated bullets is represented by the number of picturesimitating bullets inside the screen of the monitor 306 (for example, ona side lower than the stripe-like shaped strength point represented inthe upper-left part of the above-described screen). In addition, whenthe number of the remaining simulated bullets is equal to or smallerthan a predetermined value or is zero (a state out of the bullet), it iswarned by displaying a text of “RELOAD” inside the screen or the like.

Here, in the game device 300 according to this embodiment, control(movement control) for setting a movement destination for a movingoperation of each character (the player character P and the enemycharacter E) is performed based on the position relationship between theopponent character and the above-described screening object G. Inparticular, for example, when the player directs the player character Pto move by pushing the pedal switches 310 and 312 by using the feet(when movement is input), basically a position in which the playercharacter can avoid direct shoot up from the enemy character E by hidingin the shadow of a nearest screening object G in the movement directionis set as the movement destination (see FIG. 9). As described above, asthe position for the player character to hide in the shadow of thescreening object G, a position located on the left side or the rightside of the screening object G may be selected (see FIG. 8). However,according to this embodiment, the position of the enemy character E isconsidered in addition to the position of the screening object G, and aposition (a position in which the player character P hides in the shadowof the screening object G, viewed from the enemy character E) located onthe opposite side of the enemy character E with the screening object Ginterposed therebetween is selected as the movement destination. Inaddition, although the above-described control is for a case where theplayer directs the player character P to move, even in a case where theenemy character E moves, a same movement control as described above isperformed based on the position relationship between the opponentcharacter (in this case, the player character P) and the screeningobject G.

In the above-described movement control, the movement destination ofeach character can be designated by coordinates. For example, when thecoordinate values of the movement destination of a character is set, thecharacter can be moved to the movement destination by adding adifference to the coordinate values at the current time point. Thecoordinate values of each screening object G or the like can be acquiredby referring to a coordinate table (map).

In addition, when the player performs movement input (pushes the pedalswitch 310 or 312 by using the foot) while the enemy character E ismoving, various movement control processes can be considered. Forexample, in this embodiment, a position in which the player character Pcan hide in the shadow of the screening object G, viewed from the enemycharacter E, with reference to the position of the enemy character E ata time point when the player performs the movement input is set as amovement destination. In other words, in this embodiment, the movementcontrol process is performed in consideration of only the position ofthe enemy character E regardless of the state of the enemy character E(for example, the shooting posture, the non-shooting posture, or thelike). In addition, similarly at a time point when the player characterP receives damage or at a time when the player character jumps aside,the movement destination is simply set based on only the coordinatevalues at the time point.

In addition, when a movement input for moving back in the reversedirection is performed in the middle of movement of the player characterP (that is, when the pedal switch 310 or 312 on the opposite side of themovement direction is pushed by using the foot), as the content of themovement control process, a simple control process of returning theplayer character to the original position or the like can be made.However, in this embodiment, the movement destination is recalculated tobe set. In other words, when there is a movement input for moving theplayer character in the reverse direction (returning direction) in themiddle of the movement of the player character, the movement destinationis set based on the position of a nearest screening object G in thereturning direction and the position of the enemy character E at thattime point.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the moving operation isdifferently set for the shooting posture and the non-shooting posture(see FIG. 7). In other words, when the gun muzzle of the gun-typecontroller 308 is faced with the inside of the screen of the monitor 306in the middle of movement of the player character P, the playercharacter can be moved in the shooting posture (aimed movement). In sucha case, although shooting can be made while the player character moves,the speed of movement is regular or relatively low. In addition, whenthe player character is shot by the gun shot of the enemy character E inthis state, the player character receives relatively much damage. On theother hand, when the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 is facedwith the outside of the screen of the monitor 306 in the middle ofmovement of the player character P, the player character moves in thenon-shooting posture (defensive movement). In such a case, althoughshooting cannot be made while the player character is moving, the speedof movement is relatively high. In addition, when the player characteris shot by a bullet in this state, damage is smaller than that in theshooting posture (for example, a half of the damage received in theshooting posture). In addition, the aimed movement and the defensivemovement can be alternately changed depending on whether the gun muzzleof the gun-type controller 308 is faced with the inside of the screen.In addition, according to this embodiment, when transition from theaimed movement to the defensive movement is made (when the gun muzzle ofthe gun-type controller 308 is faced with the outside of the screen),reload, that is, load of the simulated bullets of the gun-typecontroller 308 is automatically performed.

The control process of the moving operation described above (controlprocess of the aimed movement and the defensive movement) will be simplydescribed by using a flow representing only a part of a looping processas below (see FIG. 39). The aimed state of the gun-type controller 308is acquired (Step S1), and it is determined whether the aimed state ischanged (Step S2). When the state is changed, the state of the character(the player character P) is acquired (Step S3), and the state of thecharacter is updated (Step S4). In particular, the above-described aimedmovement is changed to the defensive movement, and the defensivemovement is changed to the aimed movement. When the state of thecharacter is changed as described above or the aimed state is notchanged in Step S2, the process is looped to Step S1, and the aimedstate of the gun-type controller 308 is acquired again (see FIG. 39). Inaddition although a looping process is simply represented here, a flowin which terminal markings for starting and ending are arranged and theprocess is restarted each time a predetermined time (for example, 1/60second) elapses after completion of a series of processes may be usedfor implementing the above-described process.

Here, the above-described movement control process will be described indetail as follows with an example of a detailed shape of the screeningobject G.

First, for example, when the screening object G is a circularcylindrical shape formed of a gimmick of a drum can (see FIG. 12),default of a position (a position in which the body can be hidden fromthe gun shot of the enemy character E) in which the player character Phides is right behind the screening object G, and, for example, afan-shaped area extending by left and right 45 degrees (a total of 90degrees) from the default hiding position as its center is set as thehiding position (see FIG. 11). The movement destination of the playercharacter P is inside the fan-shaped area (in particular, on thecircumference having a predetermined distance from the screening objectG) and is set to a position on an extended line connecting the positionof the enemy character E and the center of the screening object G (seeFIG. 10). In addition, in a case where the body of the player characterP cannot be hidden in the shadow of the screening object G from the viewof the enemy character E, an end-part position of the above-describedfan-shaped area becomes the movement destination (hiding position). Inaddition, when the screening object G is a drum can having a heightsmaller than that of the player character P, as in this embodiment, theplayer character P takes the non-shooting posture in a state that theplayer character crouches down in the shadow of the drum can and takesthe shooting posture in a state that the player character stands andexposes its upper body to an upper part of the drum can (see FIG. 12).Accordingly, in this embodiment, the position (the aimed position) inthe shooting posture and the position (hiding position) in thenon-shooting posture that are represented in FIG. 10 are not differentfrom each other (see FIG. 10).

Next, for example, when the screening object G is a rectangular shapesuch as a post, (see FIG. 13), default of a position (a position inwhich the body can be hidden from the gun shot of the enemy character E)in which the player character P hides is right behind the screeningobject G, and, for example, a fan-shaped area (actually, an areaacquired by excluding a triangular part from the fan-shaped area asillustrated in the figure) extending by left and right 45 degrees (atotal of 90 degrees) from the default hiding position as its center isset as the hiding position (see FIG. 15). The movement destination ofthe player character P is inside the fan-shaped area (in particular, onthe circumference having a predetermined distance from the screeningobject G) and is set to a position on an extended line connecting theposition of the enemy character E and the center of the screening objectG (see FIG. 10). In addition, in a case where the body of the playercharacter P cannot be hidden in the shadow of the screening object Gfrom the view of the enemy character E, an end-part position of theabove-described area becomes the movement destination (hiding position).In addition, when the screening object G is a post, as in thisembodiment, the player character P takes the non-shooting posture in theshadow of the post and takes the shooting posture by popping out topositions in the left and right 90 degrees from the position (see FIGS.14 and 16). Accordingly, in this embodiment, the position (the aimedposition) in the shooting posture and the position (hiding position) inthe non-shooting posture that are represented in FIG. 14 are notdifferent from each other (see FIG. 14).

Subsequently, when the screening object G is a rectangular shape such asa tanker and has a height smaller than that of the player character P(see FIG. 20), default of a position (a position in which the body canbe hidden from the gun shot of the enemy character E) in which theplayer character P hides is right behind the screening object G, and,for example, a fan-shaped area (actually, an area acquired by excludinga triangular part from the fan-shaped area as illustrated in the figure)extending by left and right 45 degrees (a total of 90 degrees) from thedefault hiding position as its center is set as the hiding position (seeFIG. 19). The movement destination of the player character P is insidethe fan-shaped area (in particular, on the circumference having apredetermined distance from the screening object G) and is set to aposition on an extended line connecting the position of the enemycharacter E and the center of the screening object G (see FIGS. 17 and18). In addition, in a case where the body of the player character Pcannot be hidden in the shadow of the screening object G from the viewof the enemy character E, an end-part position of the above-describedarea becomes the movement destination (hiding position). In addition,when the screening object G is a tanker, as in this embodiment, theplayer character P takes the non-shooting posture in a state that theplayer character crouches down in the shadow of the tanker and takes theshooting posture in a state that the player character pops out topositions of the left and right 90 degrees from the position and stands(see FIGS. 18 and 20). Accordingly, in this embodiment, the position(the aimed position) in the shooting posture and the position (hidingposition) in the non-shooting posture that are represented in FIG. 18are different from each other (see FIG. 18).

As is apparent from the above-described description, when the playerperforms a movement input for the player character P that hides in ascreening object G, the player character P moves toward a position(hiding position) in which the player character can hide in the shadowof the nearest screening object G in the movement direction (see FIG.21). At that moment, as described above, the movement destination is setto a position that is inside an area such as the fan shape located inthe shadow of the screening object G and is located on an extended linethat connects the position of the enemy character E and the center ofthe screening object G (see FIG. 21). In addition, for example, when themovement input for the reverse direction (to the left side) while theplayer character is moving to the right side, the player character P ismoved toward a position (hiding position) in which the player charactercan hide in the shadow of the screening object G located in the reversedirection (returning direction) (see FIG. 22). At that moment, thecontrol unit 602 according to this embodiment, as described above, setsthe coordinates of the movement destination by performing arecalculation process. In addition, when the character receives damagein the hiding position, a process in which the default hiding place orthe actually hiding place of the character is slowly shifted to aposition, in which the character is not visible from the enemy, may beadded. In addition, the above-described center of the screening object Gis only an example of a position that becomes a reference point, andanother position may be used as the reference point.

In addition, for example, even when the screening object G has a shapethat is long and thin in the movement direction as illustrated in FIG.23, the control process can be performed as described above. In such acase, as represented in the figure, it may be configured that a lineparallel to the movement direction is set on the rear side of thescreening object G and the movement destination of the character is seton the line (see FIG. 23). The actual movement destination is on thisline, and is set to a position on an extended line that connects theposition of the enemy character E and the center of the screening objectG (see FIG. 24).

Here, as described above, a concrete embodiment for a case where thescreening object G has a thin and long shape (for example, a wallbetween windows) described above will be also described (see FIGS. 25 to27 and the like). The default of a position (a position in which thebody can be hidden from the gun shot of the enemy character E) in whichthe player character P hides is a center position right behind thescreening object G and, for example, a triangle-shaped area extending byleft and right 60 degrees (a total of 120 degrees) from the defaulthiding position as its center is set as the hiding position (see FIG.26). The movement destination of the player character P is inside thetriangle-shaped area and is set to a position on an extended lineconnecting the position of the enemy character E and the center of thescreening object G (see FIGS. 25 and 26). In addition, in thisembodiment in which the screening object G is the wall between thewindows, the player character P takes the non-shooting posture in theshadow of the wall, and takes the shooting posture by popping out to theleft or right side from the position (see FIGS. 25 and 27). Accordingly,also in this embodiment, the position (the aimed position) in theshooting posture and the position (hiding position) in the non-shootingposture that are represented in FIG. 25 are not different from eachother (see FIG. 25).

As described above, the game device 300 according to this embodiment isautomatically controlled such that the movement destination to whicheach character (the player character P and the enemy character E) ismoved becomes the shadow of the screening object G. In addition, whenthe gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 is faced with the outsideof the screen, the character is configured to take the non-shootingposture in the hiding position. On the other hand, when the gun muzzleof the gun-type controller 308 is faced with the inside of the screen,the character can take the shooting posture in an aimed positionprotruding from the shadow of the screening object G (axis movement). Inaddition, by player's operating the left and right pedal switches 310and 312, the player character P can be moved from the shadow of onescreening object G to the shadow of another screening object G (see FIG.28). In such a case, from the view point of the player character P inthe hiding position, the enemy character E cannot be easily seen alsofrom the hiding side. In addition, by moving the player character to theaimed position (taking the shooting posture), the player character canbe transited to a position (in other words, a position in which shootingcan be easily made) in which the enemy character E can be easily seen(see reference sign ∘ represented in FIG. 28). This is the same from theview point of the enemy character E (for example, see reference sign xrepresented in FIG. 28). The main point is that, in the game device 300according to this embodiment, shooting from the enemy character E cannotbe easily received to be in a relatively safe state in a case where theplayer character hides in the shadow of the screening object G (unlessthe screening object G is destroyed). On the other hand, in a case wherethe player character pops out once to the aimed position, the playercharacter can shoot the enemy character E, and the possibility that theplayer character is shot by a bullet becomes high. Accordingly, athrilling simulated gun fighting, having high amusement, in which attackand defense can be made by using high-level tactics can be enjoyed.

In addition, since the movement of the player character P to the left orright side is based on the operation of the pedal switches 310 and 312,the player can basically move the player character P on his intention.However, for a representation of a shooting game, an operation forcausing movement may be provided. Although not described in detail inthis embodiment, for example, when an endurance value of each screeningobject G for stray bullets is set and a representation in which thescreening object G is slowly broken to be finally exploded or crushed isperformed, the player who wants to reduce damage of the player characterP may be motivated to move the player character to the left or rightside.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, a case where thescreening object G has a thin and long shape is exemplified (see FIG. 23and the like). However, in a case where the screening object G has ashape longer in the movement direction, a plurality of hiding places maybe set. For example, for a screening object G having a thin and longshape as represented in FIG. 29, two default hiding positions are set inthis embodiment, and a hiding position located on a closer side viewedfrom the character is set as the movement destination in the movementcontrol process.

Subsequently, basic actions (movements) of each character (the playercharacter P and the enemy character E) in the game device 300 accordingto this embodiment, including the above-described movement controlprocess will be described with examples of more detailed screens andobjects (see FIGS. 30 to 34).

[Aiming]

In the hiding position located in the shadow of the post-shapedscreening object G, while the player places the gun-type controller 308to face the outside of the screen of the monitor 306, the playercharacter P, as described above, takes the non-shooting posture in whichthe player character hides its body in the shadow (see FIG. 30). Here,when the player places the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 toface the left (right) side of the screen, that is, for example, theinside of a frame of a broken line located on the left (right) side ofthe screening object G, the player character P pops out to the aimedposition located on the left (right) side of the screening object G andtakes the shooting posture. As described above, in the game device 300according to this embodiment, to which side between the aimed positionslocated on the left and right sides of the screening object G the playercharacter pops out so as to take the shooting posture can be selected bythe position of the gun muzzle facing the screen of the monitor 306(aiming). In addition, the description above corresponds to a screeningobject G for which any side between the left and right aimed positionscan be selected. Thus, for a screening object G having a shape fromwhich the player character cannot pop out, for example, to the left(right) side, the above-described aiming cannot be performed, and thecharacter should pop out to only one side.

[Running]

When the player continues to push the pedal switches 310 and 312 byusing the feet, the character runs and moves further without stopping atthe nearest screening object G (see FIG. 31). Then, when the feetpushing the pedal switches 310 and 312 are lifted, the characterbasically moves to the shadow of a nearest screening object G in themovement direction.

[Turning Back]

When the player pushes the pedal switch 310 or 312 for the reversedirection by using the foot while the character is moving, the characterturns back (see FIG. 32).

[Plunging Body Aside]

When the player performs so-called a double click (or double pedal),that is, continuously pushing the pedal switch 310 or 312 twice in themiddle of the aimed movement (movement to the left or right side in theshooting posture) in a short time, the player character P performs anoperation of jumping aside (see FIG. 33). The character in the middle ofthe operation of jumping aside ignores a screening object G even in acase where the screening object G exists in the middle of the movementand continues the operation of jumping aside. In addition, when thetrigger of the gun-type controller 308 is pulled in the middle of theoperation of jumping aside, the character can perform gun shooting(jumping aside shot). For example, in this embodiment, the attack power(destruction power) of the jumping aside shot is increased, for example,to be twice that for a normal case. The above-described operation ofjumping aside is technology of a high level requiring the player toperform a series of agile operations. Thus, in this embodiment, arepresentation in which a privilege of increasing the attack power(destruction power) is acquired is performed in a case where theoperation of jumping aide is accomplished. In addition, it is preferablethat the character after the special operation is set to be in a weakstate. In such a case, a high-skilled person who has mastered theoperation of the game device 300 comes to hesitate overissuing thespecial operation for which the privilege is added, and accordingly, theperson can improve tactics of the shooting game further. For example, inthis embodiment, a representation of a rigid state for several tens of“ints” after the character jumping aside lands is performed (“int” is anabbreviation of interrupt and represents the number of interrupts or thenumber of rewriting operations for the screen. 1 int=60 frames/sec, 2ints=30 frames/sec), so that the player character P cannot shoot the gunin the rigid state. Thus, according to the game device 300 of thisembodiment, the jumping aside shot exhibits an aspect of so-calleddouble edged sword-like technology in which large damage can be given tothe enemy character and the character has a high risk for receivinglarge damage. Accordingly, the amusement of the game is improved. Thecharacter after the rigid state is cancelled basically moves in thedirection in which the character has jumped aside. However, when thecharacter performs the operation of jumping aside in both end parts of amovement area in which the character can be moved, the character turnsback and moves to the nearest hiding position. In addition, in FIG. 33,as movement after release of the rigidity, both the aimed movement inthe shooting posture and the defensive movement in the non-shootingposture are represented (see FIG. 33).

[Avoiding]

When the double click (double pedal) for the pedal switch 310 or 312 isperformed during the defensive movement, the character performs anavoiding operation (see FIG. 34). In the avoiding operation, damagereceived from a hit by a bullet decreases, compared to a normal case(for example, ¼ of damage of a normal case). In addition, when theavoiding operation is performed, the character is configured to jump ina nearest screening object G to be automatically in a hiding state (seeFIG. 34). In addition, how far the character jumps in theabove-described avoiding operation can be set in various manners. Inaddition, the operation can be performed in a smooth manner byreproducing a quick hiding motion, for example, in a case where thecharacter performs the avoiding operation in a position close to ascreening object G or transiting the character to the defensive movementafter completion of the jumping operation in an opposite case where thecharacter jumps in by performing the avoiding operation and does notreach the screening object G.

Subsequently, a zoom control function of the game device 300 accordingto this embodiment will be described (see FIG. 37 and the like). Thezoom control is to zoom (display on an enlarged scale) the screen in acase where the player performs an aiming operation that satisfies apredetermined condition. For example, a representation such as improvingthe precision of shooting by zooming the abdomen or the like of theenemy character E or changing damage for a case where the attack poweris up and shooting succeeds can be performed. By performing theabove-described zoom control in addition to the above-described movementcontrol, the amusement of the game can be improved further.

Here, in this embodiment, two types of zoom control including normalzoom (concentrate zoom) and quick zoom are performed. Hereinafter, theoverview of three-dimensional virtualization technology in the gamedevice 300 will be described, and then, the condition and content of thezoom function will be described.

The three-dimensional virtualization technology is for disposingcharacters (the player character P and the enemy character E) inside avirtual space formed as a three-dimension, performing projectiontransformation for the characters onto a video viewed from a virtualview point, and displaying the video in a display. The virtual viewpoint is a view point from a virtual camera that is defined inside thethree-dimensional virtual space. In addition, the game device 300according to this embodiment is configured to be shifted between twotypes of view points including a view point (first person point of view)that simulates the view point of the player character P and a view point(third person point of view) that simulates a view point from which boththe player character P and the enemy character E can be visuallyrecognized. In the first person point of view, an image having realisticsensation viewed from the player character P is projected on the screen,and accordingly, the player can enjoy a simulated gun fighting as if theplayer is the same body as the player character P. On the other hand, inthe third person point of view, a field in which a simulated gunfighting is played is projected including the player character P, andaccordingly, the player can easily acquire the entire appearance andsurrounding situation. The above-described image process is implementedby performing process control by using a device for processing an image(image processing device) that is constituted by the control unit 602,the above-described image composing device, and the like.

Subsequently, the condition and content of the zoom function will bedescribed. First, the normal zoom is performed on a condition that thegun-type controller 308 is faced with any between the enemy character Eand the screening object G for a predetermined time (any between theenemy character and the screening object is aimed for a predeterminedtime). Thus, when the condition is satisfied and a flag is set, apredetermined zoom function is implemented. Hereinafter, the processsequence of the normal zoom will be described as below by using a flowrepresenting only a loop process part (see FIG. 40). In addition,although a looping process is simply represented here, a flow in whichterminal markings for starting and ending are arranged and the processis restarted each time a predetermined time (for example, 1/60 second)elapses after completion of a series of processes may be used forimplementing the above-described process.

First, the state (a state that the gun-type controller 308 is out of abullet, a state that the character falls down, or the like) of theplayer (player character P) is acquired (Step S11), and it is determinedwhether the state is a zoomable state (Step S12). In particular, it isdetermined that the state is not the zoomable state in a case where thestate that the gun-type controller 308 is out of a bullet, the statethat the player character P falls down, or the like.

In the zoomable state, the screening object G and the enemy character Ethat can be zoomed are transformed into 2D coordinates on a plane viewedfrom the above-described camera of the first person point of view (StepS13). Here, in the 3D objects such as the enemy character E and thescreening object G, a plurality of zoom points is set in advance (forexample, the abdomen or the like of the enemy character E). Aftertransforming the zoomable objects into 2D coordinates as describedabove, when any one (a zoom point located closest to aiming) of the zoompoints and aiming are located within a predetermined distance (in otherwords, when the state is a collision state in which the zoom point andthe aiming are within a determination circle of a predetermined range),coordinates of the aiming are set as a zoom target (Step S14). Inparticular, the coordinates of the aiming at the time point aretemporarily stored as the coordinates of the zoom target. In addition,by appropriately changing the size of the determination circle such thatthe determination circle is large for an object located relatively nearand is small for an object located relatively far, zoom determinationthat is based on the law of perspective and is close to the real can beperformed. In addition, when the enemy character E hides in the shadowof the screening object G, a distance from the aiming is measured basedon not the zoom point of the screening object G but the zoom point ofthe enemy character E in this embodiment. The process described up tohere is so-called a first collision process for determining whether arelative distance between the aiming and the zoom point is smaller thana predetermined value.

As described above, when a zoom collision is generated from the zoompoint that is closest to the aiming (that is, when a relative distancebetween the aiming and the zoom point closest to the aiming isdetermined), it is determined whether there is a target (zoom target)(Step S15). Thereafter, an area (for example, a rectangle area, and isreferred to as a collision in this embodiment) formed in a predeterminedrange from the stored zoom target as its center is generated. Then, whenthe aiming at the time point is within the collision, a countingoperation is performed (Step S16). Here, it is determined whether apredetermined condition subsequent (for example, the player shoots abullet by pulling the trigger of the gun-type controller 308, thegun-type controller is out of a bullet, or the player places the gunmuzzle of the gun-type controller 308 to be faced with the outside ofthe screen) is satisfied (Step S17). Then, when the condition subsequentis not satisfied, it is determined whether a state that the aiming islocated inside the collision for a predetermined time is formed (whethera concentrate state is formed) (Step S18). The process for determiningwhether the aiming is within the area (collision) of the predeterminedrange is so-called a second collision process.

When the above-described state that the aiming is within theabove-described collision for the predetermined time is formed, aneffect process is activated, and an image process for a zoom operationusing the aiming or the zoom target as its center is performed (StepS19). The above-described effect process generates a screen effect fornotifying start of the zoom operation. During the effect process, it isdetermined whether a predetermined condition subsequent (for example,during the effect process, the gun muzzle is turned far away from theenemy character E to another place or the player character shoots abullet) is satisfied (Step S20). When the condition subsequent issatisfied, a series of processes is completed, and the process is loopedto the initial step. On the other hand, when the condition subsequent isnot satisfied, it is determined whether the screen effect caused by thezoom effect is completed (Step S21). Then, when the screen effect iscompleted, the process proceeds to the next zoom process (Step S22).During the zoom process, a privilege such as increasing the attack poweror accomplishing a head shot for a specific case, as described later, isrepresented. After performing the zoom process, when a predeterminedcondition subsequent (for example, the player shoot a bullet by pullingthe trigger of the gun-type controller 308, or the gun-type controlleris out of a bullet) is satisfied, the process is looped to the initialstep (Step S23).

In addition, here, as the condition subsequent for the normal zoomoperation, player's shooting a bullet by pulling the trigger of thegun-type controller 308 or the like is exemplified. However, these areonly detailed examples of the condition subsequent for the normal zoomoperation. Thus, other than the above-described examples, movement ofthe enemy character E or player character P's being covered in collapseof the screening object G may be used as the condition subsequent.

The process sequence and content of the normal zoom are as describedabove, and subsequently, an example of the above-described normal zoomwill be described with an image example (see FIG. 37). First, when apredetermined time period (for example, several tens of “ints” and maybe different depending on the type of the enemy character E) elapses ina state that the gun muzzle is faced with the vicinity (in particular,in the vicinity of the abdomen of the enemy character E in which a zoompoint is set) of the enemy character E, the effect process is activated(see FIG. 37(A)). However, during this time period, when the gun muzzleis turned far away to a different place or a bullet is shot, the zoomprocess is cancelled, and the activation of the effect process is notperformed.

When the effect process is activated, an image process for an effectfocused on the aiming or the zoom target is performed (se FIG. 37(B)).An effect, for example, is represented by a screen including acombination of a plurality of circles or ovals as represented in thefigure. Parts other than the circle (oval) become dim, and the vicinityof the enemy character E is closed up. However, during this effectprocess, when the gun muzzle is turned far away from the enemy characterE to a different place or a bullet is shot, the effect process iscancelled, and the zoom process is stopped.

When the effect process is completed, subsequently, the zoom processfocused on the aiming or the zoom target is started (see FIG. 37(C)).For example, several tens of “ints” is needed for performing the zoomoperation to the end. However, it may be set to be different dependingon the type of the enemy character E. In addition, when the zoomoperation is performed to the end, a representation in which the camerais shaken as hand vibration may be performed. In such a case, theshaking may require, for example, several tens of “ints” to besuppressed. However, it may be set differently as is appropriate.

When the zoom operation is performed to the end as described above (seeFIG. 37(D)), according to this embodiment, the following advantages anddisadvantages are implemented. Described with a detailed example, asadvantages, the attack power is doubled, and the attack power is tripledfor a case where the head shot, to be described later, is achieved, andwhereby large damage can be given to the enemy character E. On the otherhand, as a disadvantage, damage for a case where the player character isshot by a bullet as a counter shot by the enemy character E that movesduring the zoom operation is tripled. In addition, in the zoomed state,the field of sight of the player is narrowed, which can be anotherdisadvantage.

Here, during the zoom process, tactics by using the zoom process can berepresented by performing processes such as “head shot”, “camerarigidity”, and “counter shot” as described below.

[Head Shot]

When the player can attack the head part of the enemy character E duringthe zoom process, it is called a head shot, and the attack power (themagnitude of damage received by the enemy character E) is tripled. Asdescribed above, it may be configured that the attack power during thezoom process is doubled and the attack power of the head shot istripled, whereby the magnitude of the damage increases by six times fora case where the head shot is achieved. In addition, when the head shotis achieved, a process (representation) in which reload (bullet loading)is automatically performed or the head-shot target character cannotshoot a gun may be added.

[Camera Rigidity]

During the zoom operation, when the enemy character E moves and is lostfrom the inside of the screen, for example, the camera rigidity forabout 40 “ints” is generated. The camera rigidity is a representation ofa state that the camera cannot be switched by fixing a zoomed image fora predetermined time. In the state of the camera rigidity, a place inwhich the enemy character E is located cannot be acquired at least for amoment, and thus impatience can be given to the player. During theabove-described camera rigidity, when the player character E receivesattack from the moved enemy character and is shot by a bullet, the“counter shot” is achieved. To the contrary, when the player charactercan attack the enemy character E during the camera rigidity, an image inwhich the enemy character E staggers about is displayed (the enemycharacter E's staggering is represented). In addition, detailed examplesof the condition for generating the camera rigidity during the zoomoperation are as follows.

There are a case where the aimed/hidden enemy character E and thescreening object G in which the enemy character E is located are zoomedand the enemy character E moves therefrom, a case where the enemycharacter E moves to a place of a zoomed screening object G and thenmoves therefrom (however, the camera rigidity is not generated for acase where the enemy character E passes by the zoomed screening objectG), and the like.

[Counter Shot]

During the camera rigidity, when the player character P is attacked fromthe moved enemy character E and shot by a bullet, the “counter shot” isachieved. The feature for such a case, for example, is that tripleddamage is received as in the above-described head shot.

In addition, the representation of the head shot, the counter shot, thestaggering described above can be configured to be generated in a samecondition for the player character P and the enemy character E. In otherwords, while a zooming side can achieve the head shot or make theopponent stagger about, a zoomed side can determine the counter shotafter moving (see FIG. 35). In addition, although not described detailin descriptions here, the player can be notified that the playercharacter P is zoomed by the enemy character E, for example, by using arepresentation of blinking the outer frame part of the screen of themonitor 306 in red or the like.

In addition, the condition subsequent (reset condition) of theabove-described normal zoom is exemplified as below with reference to atable (see FIG. 36). For example, in (a) a stage in which the gun muzzleof the gun-type controller 308 is faced with and fixed to the vicinityof the zoom point of the enemy character E (a stage before the effectprocess is activated) and (b) a stage in which the effect process isactivated and the effect approaches the zoom center, all the operationsfor shooting the gun-type controller 308 and for turning the gun muzzlefrom the screen to a different place become the condition subsequent(see FIG. 36). In addition, a case where a character hides or moves orthe gun-type controller 308 is out of a bullet becomes the conditionsubsequent even in (c) a stage during a zoom process or a zoomed stage,in addition to the above-described (a) and (b) (see FIG. 36). Inaddition, a case where the enemy character E moves in the stage (a) isthe condition subsequent. However, in such a case, the camera rigidityis not generated. On the other hand, a case where the enemy character Emoves in the stage (c) is the condition subsequent. In such a case, thecamera rigidity is generated (see FIG. 36).

Subsequently, the quick zoom will be described. Although an ordinaryzoom control process is the normal zoom (concentrate zoom) as describedabove, in this embodiment, a quick zoom control process in which zoomstandby is not performed and the zoom process is immediately performedunder a specific condition is performed. Hereinafter, the processsequence of the quick zoom process will be described as below by using aflow representing only a looping process part (see FIG. 41). Inaddition, although a looping process is simply represented here, a flowin which terminal markings for starting and ending are arranged and theprocess is restarted each time a predetermined time (for example, 1/60second) elapses after completion of a series of processes may be usedfor implementing the above-described process.

First, the state (a state that the gun-type controller 308 is out of abullet, a state that the character falls down, or the like) of theplayer (player character P) is acquired (Step S31), and it is determinedwhether the state is a zoomable state (Step S32). In particular, it isdetermined that the state is not the zoomable state in a case where thestate that the gun-type controller 308 is out of a bullet, the statethat the player character P falls down, or the like.

In the zoomable state, it is determined whether the player performs thezoom operation (Step S33). The zoom operation described here is anoperation for pushing the pedal switch 310 or 312 within a predeterminedtime period (for example, within 10 to 20 frames) after the gun muzzleof the gun-type controller 308 is faced with the inside of the screen.The operation of the pedal switch 310 or 312 for this case is treated asan input command for transiting to the quick zoom process, and thus aplayer's operation such as horizontal movement is not performed. Inaddition, for example, in this embodiment, the predetermined time period(the predetermined frame) is set to be short. Accordingly, it isdifficult for a player to transit to the quick zoom process, and theplayer is required to have adroitness or skill to some degree (see FIG.38).

When it is determined that the zoom operation is performed, the zoompoint of the enemy character E that is, for example, set in the abdomenis transformed into 2D coordinates in a plane viewed from theabove-described camera of the first person point of view (Step S34).Next, an area (for example, a rectangle area and is referred to as acollision in this embodiment) of a predetermined range having theposition of the zoom point that is transformed into the 2D coordinatesas its center is generated (Step S35). Subsequently, it is determinedwhether the position of the aiming is within the collision (Step S36).When the position of the aiming is within the collision, the position ofthe aiming is used as the center of zoom (Step S37). On the other hand,when the position of the aiming is not within the collision, anintersection between a segment connecting the transformed zoom point andthe aiming and the outer periphery (outer frame) of the collision isused as the center of zoom (Step S38).

Next, whether the aiming of the gun-type controller 308 is faced withthe outside of the screen is determined as one of the conditionsubsequent (Step S39). When the aiming of the gun-type controller is notfaced with the outside of the screen, the process proceeds to the zoomprocess (Step S40). During the zoom process, as described above, aprivilege such as increasing the attack power or achieving the head shotfor a specific case is represented. After the zoom process, when apredetermined condition subsequent (for example, the player places thegun muzzle of the gun-type controller 308 to face the outside of thescreen, or the player is covered in the collapse of the screening objectG) is satisfied, the process is looped to the initial step (Step S41).In this embodiment, a case where out-of-bullet or movement of the enemycharacter E is not included in the condition subsequent of the quickzoom process. When the condition subsequent is not satisfied, the zoomedstate is continued until a predetermined time elapses. Then, after thepredetermined time elapses, the process is looped to the initial step(Step S42).

The process sequence and content of the quick zoom are as describedabove, and subsequently, an example of the above-described quick zoomwill be described with an image example (see FIG. 38). First, when theplayer character takes the non-shooting posture in a hiding placelocated in the shadow of the screening object G, a zoom operation isdetermined to be performed by transiting the player character to theshooting posture by performing an operation for placing the gun muzzleto face the screen and by pushing the pedal switch 310 or 312 almostsimultaneously with the above-described operation. Accordingly,transition to the quick zoom can be made. In such a case, the zoomprocess is immediately started without waiting for elapse of apredetermined time period in the aimed state as in the above-describednormal zoom. In addition, in this embodiment, when the transition to thequick zoom is made by performing the zoom operation, a player characterP's operation for quickly popping out from the shadow of the screeningobject G in a low posture and taking the posture (shooting posture) foraiming the gun is represented (see FIG. 38(A)). A time period betweenthe quick zoom operation and the completion of the zoom operation may beset differently depending on the type of the enemy character E or thelike. For example, in this embodiment, a time period (for example,several “ints” to several tens of “ints”) that is shorter than that ofthe normal zoom operation is set.

When the zoom operation is performed to the end as described above (seeFIG. 38(B)), according to this embodiment, the following advantages anddisadvantages are implemented. Described with a detailed example, asadvantages, the attack power is doubled, and the attack power is tripledfor a case where the head shot, to be described later, is achieved, andwhereby large damage can be given to the enemy character E. On the otherhand, as a disadvantage, a rigid state is represented after the quickzoom operation, and thus the player character P cannot shoot the gunduring the rigid state (see FIG. 38(C)). In this rigid state, even whenthe player pushes the pedal switch 310 or 312 by using the foot, theplayer character P is not moved. Thus, according to the game device 300of this embodiment, the quick zoom operation exhibits an aspect ofso-called double edged sword-like technology in which the quick zoomoperation can give large damage by a shot in the zoomed state, and theplayer character has a high risk for receiving large damage.Accordingly, the amusement of the game is improved. In addition, in therigid state after the quick zoom operation, a state in which thecharacter cannot move as if the character is rigid is represented,differently from the above-described camera rigidity.

Although the above-described embodiment is one appropriate embodiment ofthe present invention, the invention is not limited thereto. Thus, theembodiment may be changed in various manners without departing from thegist of the present invention.

Subsequently, another embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed (see FIGS. 42 to 46).

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the whole electronic playdevice according to the present invention. The electronic play device300 includes a first casing 302 and a second casing 304. To the upperpart of the first casing 302, a monitor 306 is installed. To the secondcasing 304, a coin insertion slot and a gun-type controller 308 as anoperation device are connected.

A player aims the gun-type controller to be faced with the monitor 306and pulls a trigger toward the enemy character displayed on the monitor.When a bullet hits the enemy character, the enemy character inside themonitor can be brought down. From the gun-type controller 308, acommunication line is drawn out, and the communication line is connectedto the second casing 304. In addition, the entire height of the secondcasing 304 is smaller than that of the first casing 302, and thus, it isconfigured that the field of view of the player is not blocked. Insidethe first casing 304, a control board of the electronic play device ishoused.

In addition, pedal switches 310 and 312 are provided from a front end ofthe lower end of the second casing 304 on the player side toward theplayer. There are left and right pedal switches. By player'sindividually pushing the left and right pedal switches by the feet, aplayer character on a screen can be moved to the left or right side.

In the example of a game that is implemented in the above-describedelectronic play device, a player character fights an enemy character ina three-dimensional virtual space. The player character performs a gunbattle with the enemy character while hiding its body behind a post orthe like. When the player pulls the trigger of the gun-type controller,an operation signal from the gun-type controller is transmitted to thecontrol board, and the control board determines whether the enemycharacter is shot by a bullet. When the enemy character is shot, animage representation such as bringing the enemy character down isperformed.

On the other hand, when the player character is shot by a bullet of theenemy character, or a post near the player character is shot by a bulletof the enemy character, the post is collapsed to cause damage to theplayer character. Even when a drum can, for example, containing acombustible material that is located near the player character is shotby a bullet, the player character receives damage due to explosion ofthe drum can.

FIG. 42 is an example of a screen displayed on the monitor 306. Theplayer character PL and a background BG are viewed from the virtualfirst person point of view to be displayed. When the player faces thegun muzzle of the gun-type controller toward the monitor, a virtualspace is displayed from the first person point of view. At this moment,the player character PL, as illustrated in FIG. 42, performs a behaviorfor aiming a gun to the enemy character. When the player faces thegun-type controller outside the display screen of the monitor, asillustrated in FIG. 43, the virtual view point is moved to a thirdperson point of view, and the player character PL performs a behaviorfor laying down the gun. At this moment, the player character PL takes abehavior for avoiding the attack from the enemy character by hiding inthe post BR.

FIG. 45 is a screen in which the enemy character EC contraposing theplayer character PL is viewed from the third person point of view. Thepost BR located next to the player character receives damage by a bulletshot by the enemy character. When the post receives damage more than isneeded, the post collapses as illustrated in FIG. 44, and thereby damageis given to the player character. In FIG. 42, the virtual camera islocated in the first person point of view, and accordingly, a state thatthe post is damaged cannot be recognized by the player. Thus, asillustrated in FIG. 45, the virtual view point is moved from the firstperson point of view to the third person point of view, and a warningmark “!”WO is displayed on the screen.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the overview of the game device.A program data memory unit 600 stores game programs and data needed forprocesses on the basis of the game programs. The game programs or dataare stored in a recording medium such as an optical disc, a hard disk,or a semiconductor memory such as a flash memory. The control unit 602determines the behavior of the player character based on an output froma device operated by the player, the game program, and the data storedin the memory unit 600. The operation devices are a trigger 604 of thegun-type controller, the gun aiming position detecting unit 606 thatdetects the direction (aiming) that the gun-type controller faces, andthe left and right pedal switches 310 and 312.

The gun aiming-position detecting unit 606 that detects the aiming ofthe gun-type controller is configured as follows. As illustrated in FIG.24 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-86038, a plurality ofLEDs is disposed near the display panel and is configured to emit lightsequentially. Then, a plurality of light receiving units disposed in asimulation controller receives the light. Then, the control unit 10analyzes signals from each light receiving unit so as to detect thedirection of the gun muzzle of the gun-type controller. The control unit602 determines the position of a virtual view point inside the virtualspace based on the game program. Then, the control unit 602 performs aprojection transformation process for an image acquired from viewing thevirtual space from the position of the virtual view point and displaysthe transformed image in a display unit 608. In addition, the gameprogram generates various sound effects such as a bullet shooting soundor a hit sound, and generates the sound effects by using a soundgenerating unit 610.

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of the play device illustrated inFIG. 2. The above-described control unit 602 includes a CPU block 10, avideo block 11, and a sound block 12.

The CPU block 10 is a main body for performing an image process based onthe game program and includes a bus arbiter 100, a CPU 101, a mainmemory 102, a ROM 103, and a program data memory unit 600. The busarbiter 100 is configured to be able to control data reception and datatransmission by assigning a bus occupying time period to a device thatis interconnected with the arbiter through a bus.

The CPU 101 transfers program data for an operating system stored in thegame program data memory unit 600 to the main memory 102 by executing aninitial program (initial execution program) that is stored in the ROM103 at a time when the power is turned on. Thereafter, the CPU 101 isoperated in accordance with the operating system. Thus, the CPUcontinuously transfers the application program data stored in theprogram data memory unit to the main memory 102 and executes theprogram.

In addition, the CPU 101 is configured to be able to transfer image datato a graphic memory 111 and transfer voice data to a sound memory 121.The processes performed by the CPU 101 in accordance with the programdata are mainly the input of an operation signal from an operationdevice 107 and analysis of communication data from the communicationdevice 130 and an image process directed to the video block 11 and avoice process directed to the sound block 12, based thereon.

The main memory 102, other than mainly storing the above-describedprogram data for the operating system and the application program data,provides a work area in which a static variable, a dynamic variable, orthe like is stored to the CPU. The ROM 103 is an area in which aninitial program loader is stored.

In the program data memory unit, program data for enabling the gamedevice to perform a predetermined image processing method, image datafor displaying an image, voice data for outputting voice, and the likeare stored. In addition, the game device can enable the player characterP to fight against an enemy character operated by a match-up player as amatch-up opponent in a common virtual three-dimensional space byexchanging data with another game device through the communicationdevice 130. When there is no match-up player, the enemy character isoperated by the CPU 101.

The operation device 107 outputs an operation signal corresponding tothe state of a gamer's operation performed by a player for the operationbutton or the like to a bus of the CPU block 10. The video block 11includes a VDP (Video Display Processor) 110, a graphic memory 111, anda video converter 112. In the graphic memory 111, as described above,the image data read out from the program data memory unit is stored.

The VDP 110 is configured to read image data needed for image displayfrom the image data stored in the graphic memory 111 and performcoordinate transformation (geometry calculation), a texture mappingprocess, a display prioritizing process, a shading process, or the likein accordance with data needed for image display which is supplied fromthe CPU 101, that is, command data, view point position data, lightsource position data, object designating data, object position data,texture designating data, texture density data, field of sightconverting matrix data, or the like.

In addition, the above-described processes such as the coordinatetransformation may be configured to be performed by the CPU 101. Inother words, a process is assigned to a specific device in considerationof calculation capability of each device. The video encoder 112 isconfigured to output the image data generated by the VDP 110 to themonitor device 608.

The sound block 12 includes a sound processor 120, a sound memory 121,and a D/A converter 122. In the sound memory 121, as described above,the voice data read out from the CD-ROM is stored. The sound processor120 is configured to read out the voice data such as waveform datastored in the memory 121 and perform various effect processes on thebasis of a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) function, a digital/analogconversion process, and the like, based on the command data suppliedfrom the CPU 101. Then, the D/A converter 122 is configured to be ableto convert the voice data generated by a sound processor 120 into ananalog signal and output the analog signal to a speaker 610 that isconnected externally.

Next, the operation of the game device will be described based on aflowchart. The control unit 602 of the electronic play device 602,mainly the CPU 101 performs control for moving the virtual view pointbased on a flowchart represented in FIG. 46.

This flowchart is performed for each frame. In Step 700, the CPUacquires the state of the player character. The state of the playercharacter is the state of the player character including whether theplayer is stopped or the player character is moving or the like. Thereare control values for each state of the player character, and bychecking the control values by using the CPU, the state of the playercharacter can be determined. The control values are stored in the mainmemory 102. In addition, the movement of the player character to theleft or right side in the virtual space is implemented by ON of the leftand right pedal switches 310 and 312, and thus, the CPU can determinethat the player character is moving based on ON of the pedal switches.

When it is determined that the player character is moving in Step S702,the process returns to Step 700. In addition, when the player characteris not active, for example, when the player character is shot by abullet from the enemy character and is fallen down, and thus an inputoperation from the player cannot be reflected on the player character,the process returns similarly.

On the other hand, when the player character is substantially in a stopstate, the process proceeds to Step 704. Then, it is determined whetherthere is a screening object such as a post near the player character inwhich the player character can hide its body. When there is thescreening object, damage of the screening object is determined. Thedamage of the screening object is calculated based on the number of hitsof bullets of the enemy character and the types of the hit bullets. Itis determined whether the screening object is hit by a bullet based onwhether a moving bullet and the screening object collide with each otherin the virtual space.

Each time the screening object is hit by a bullet, the endurance valueof the screening object decreases. An image in which the screeningobject is gradually damaged is reproduced in accordance with thedecrease in the endurance value. When the endurance value is equal to orsmaller than a limit value, an image in which the screening objectcollapses is reproduced.

The CPU determines whether the endurance value is equal to or smallerthan a specific threshold value (706). When the endurance value is equalto or larger than the threshold value, it is determined that there is nopossibility that the screening object collapses, and the processproceeds to Step 700. On the other hand, when the endurance value isequal to or smaller than the threshold value, it is determined whetherthe warning mark “!” has appeared in the past.

As is represented in Step 710 and thereafter, when the endurance valueof the screening object is equal to or smaller than a specific value, awarning mark is represented, and a position of the virtual view point ischanged from the first person point of view to a position of the thirdperson point of view. The process of Step 708 represents that theprocess returns to Step 700 in a case where the player character islocated near the screening object that becomes the target for thewarning mark and the warning mark has appeared in the past. This meansthat a process for displaying a warning mark and moving the view pointis performed only once for a specific screening object.

The CPU sets a flag that indicates whether a warning mark is displayedfor each screening object in the system memory 102. The CPU performs adetermination process of Step 708 by checking this flag.

When negative determination is acquired in Step 708, the processproceeds to Step 710, and a warning mark is displayed near the specificscreening object and the player character. FIG. 45 represents that awarning mark is displayed near the head part of the player character.

In Step 712, the CPU acquires the state of the player character. In Step714, it is checked whether the player character is on the gun-aimingbehavior. As the player places the gun-type controller toward the screenwithout pushing the pedal switches by the feet, the player characterperforms an operation for aiming the gun. At this moment, the firstperson point of view is selected by the game program (FIG. 42). On theother hand, when the player character is not on the behavior for aimingthe gun toward the enemy character, the third person point of view isemployed (FIG. 43).

When it is checked that the player character is on the gun-aimingbehavior in Step 714, the virtual camera is moved from the position(FIG. 42) of the first person point of view to the position (FIG. 45) ofthe third person point of view (Step 716). On the other hand, when it ischecked that the player character is not on the gun-aiming behavior inStep 714, the CPU moves the position of the virtual camera to a positionin which a state of player character PL's hiding in the post BR can beidentified well (Step 726).

As can be known from FIG. 45, although the player cannot recognize thescreening object (post) near the player character PL in FIG. 42, theplayer can recognize the post BR located next to the player character inFIG. 45. Accordingly, the player can know that the post is started to becollapsed by the attack from the enemy character. At this moment, asillustrated in FIG. 45, a warning mark “!” is represented on the screen.

The CPU checks whether a condition for canceling the warning mark andview point moving process occurs (718). For example, the conditionsubsequent is that the player character who fights against the enemycharacter with hiding in the shadow of the screening object is apartfrom the wall by an operation of the pedal switches performed by theplayer who has seen the warning mark. In such a case, originally, thewarning mark is not needed, and the view point is not needed to be fixedto the third person point of view. In addition, a case where attack fromthe enemy character is violent and the screening object collapses or thelike corresponds to the condition subsequent.

When negative determination is made for the condition subsequent, theCPU checks whether a predetermined time period elapses after displayingthe warning mark on the screen in Step 718. When the predetermined timeperiod elapses, the CPU removes the warning mark “!” from the screen,and cancels locating the position of the camera to the third personpoint of view (716). Then, the CPU moves the position of the camera to aposition appropriate to the current situation (Steps 722 and 724). Forexample, the position of the virtual camera is returned from theposition of the third person point of view represented in FIG. 45 to theposition of the first person point of view represented in FIG. 42.Alternatively, in a case where the player character is moving, theposition of the virtual camera is moved to a position of the thirdperson point of view in which the moving player character can beobserved. On the other hand, when it is determined that thepredetermined time period has not elapsed in Step 718, the processreturns to Step 712, and the CPU maintains the warning mark and fixingthe virtual camera to the position of the first person point of view.

The “predetermined time period” in Step 720 is determined as follows.When the screen (the display time period represented in FIG. 45) viewedfrom the third person point of view is long, realistic sensationdecreases. On the other hand, when the screen is too short, the playercannot recognize that the screening object near the player characterstarting to collapse. Based on the requests on both sides, thepredetermined time period is determined. As an appropriate example, the“predetermined time period” is 1.5 seconds.

For the predetermined time period, a set value is stored in the memory.The set value for the predetermined time period may be read out by theCPU from a memory unit or a main memory. In addition, the time periodfor retreating the virtual camera may be appropriately changed based onthe progress state of the game, the type of the object to be broken, orthe like. The time period for retreating the camera and the time periodfor displaying the warning mark are set in accordance with the type ofthe screening object. Thus, when the screening object is a dangerousmaterial (a material causing large damage in case of explosion, comparedto a normal case), the “predetermined time period” may be set to berelatively long, compared to an ordinary case.

In the above-described embodiment, the screening object corresponds to afirst object in the claims, the player character corresponds to a secondobject in the claims, and the enemy character corresponds to the otherobjects in the claims. In addition, the degree of endurance correspondsto the degree of influence in the claims.

According to the above-described embodiment, as can be known bycomparing FIGS. 42 and 45 with each other, until the screening object(post) is likely to broken, the play device is configured such that thescreening object is not within the display range in the position of thefirst person point of view. When the screening object is likely to bebroken, the virtual camera is moved in a direction for being spacedapart from the player character, so that the screening object is withinthe display range. The third person point of view represented in FIG. 43represents both the player character and the screening object in a casewhere the player character is in a defensive state. However, theposition of the third person point of view represented in FIG. 43 isdifferent from that represented in FIG. 45. The position of the point ofview represented in FIG. 45 is a spot from which the screening objectcan be observed from a broken side, so that the screening object startedto be broken can be precisely shown to the player. Although the enemycharacter is not illustrated in FIG. 42, when the position of the viewpoint is changed from FIG. 42 to FIG. 45, the direction of the viewpoint is maintained to be substantially the same.

The invention in the above-described embodiment relates to an electronicplay device, and more particularly, to an electronic play device thatimplements a shooting game in which a player shoots an enemy characterby using a gun-type controller and obtains a score based on the successof shooting. Here, the background of the present invention and problemsto be solved will be described as below.

Three-dimensional virtualization technology is employed in theelectronic play device. The three-dimensional virtualization technologyis technology in which an object is disposed inside a virtual spaceformed as a three dimension, a perspective transformation process isperformed for an image acquired from viewing the object from a virtualview point, and the transformed image is displayed in a display. Thevirtual view point is defined as a virtual camera inside the threedimensional space. The virtual camera is moved inside the virtual spaceon reception of an output signal from a gun-type model that is handledby a player.

An object is defined inside the virtual space and may be a character, abackground, or the like. A character is mainly a person. A characteroperated by a player is called a player character. In addition acharacter that becomes an enemy of the player character is called anenemy character. In an application program for a shooting game, ashooting game between the player character and the enemy character isplayed. In a play system in which players fight one another among aplurality of electronic play devices, shooting battles among the playercharacters are played.

As view point switching technology for switching between positions ofvirtual view points, there is technology disclosed in Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 07-116343. According to the disclosedtechnology, there are a first person point of view and a third personpoint of view as view points. The former view point is located in aposition of the eyes of the player character or in a position near ahead part of the player character from which the head part of the playercharacter is mainly looked down. In addition, the latter view point islocated in a position departed from the player character from which theentire body of the player character is looked down.

According to the first person point of view, the player can adjust theview point by matching an approximate height of eyes of the playercharacter, and accordingly, the first person point of view provides agame environment having high realistic sensation to the player. On theother hand, while the third person point of view does not have theabove-described advantage, the third person point of view has anadvantage that the player can recognize the virtual space widely.

Besides, there is a conventional example in which disposition of aplurality of characters is displayed on a screen like a radar in a realworld. In this example, the player can acquire relative positions of theplurality of characters regardless of the position of the view point.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

For example, a player in the first person point of view may notrecognize a case where a wall near the character is started to collapseor the like. Thus, to notify the player of danger by displaying awarning mark may be considered. However, the position of the view pointdoes not change, and accordingly, the player cannot objectivelyrecognize the environment in which he faces the danger. Thus, when theuser operates the operation device so as to switch from the first personpoint of view to the third person point of view, the realistic sensationof the first person point of view may decrease.

Thus, the object of the present invention is to provide technology forcontrolling movement of the virtual camera which notifies the player ofthe surrounding environment of a specific object without decreasing therealistic sensation.

According to the present invention, technology for controlling movementof the virtual camera which notifies the player of the surroundingenvironment of a specific object without decreasing the realisticsensation can be provided.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

It is preferable that the present invention is applied to anupright-type body sensory game device, and more particularly, to asimulated shooting game device using a simulated gun.

1-18. (canceled)
 19. A game device that generates an image of a match-upgame in which a player character that is operated by player's operatingoperation means and an enemy character that becomes a match-up opponentof the player character fight each other by moving within a virtualspace and displays the generated image in a display device, wherein, inthe virtual space, a player character moving area in which the playercharacter can be moved and player character stop-position setting areascorresponding to a plurality of screening objects that are disposed inthe player character area are set, and the game device comprising playercharacter moving control means that determines the nearest screeningobject in the movement direction of the player character as a shieldobject that becomes a movement target of the player character based on aposition of the player character and a movement direction input from theoperation means at a time when an input for moving the player characterin a predetermined direction is made by the operation means, sets amovement target point of the player character to a position, locatedwithin the player character stop-position setting area, in which theplayer character is in a shadow of the determined shield object withrespect to a position of the player character based on informationincluded in the player character stop-position setting area set for thedetermined screening object and coordinate information of the positionof the enemy character at a time point when the moving operation isinput, moves the player character toward the set player characterstop-position, and performs a control operation for stopping themovement of the player character in the stop position at a time when theplayer character arrives at the player character stop-position.
 20. Thegame device according to claim 19, wherein the shield object that islocated closest to the one character in the movement direction of theone character that receives the movement direction is set as a movementdestination shield object, and the movement destination is set to aposition located behind the movement destination shield object.
 21. Thegame device according to claim 20, wherein, in a case where the onecharacter receives the movement direction, the movement destination ofthe one character that receives the movement direction is set to a pointon a virtual straight line that connects the position of the othercharacter at a time point when the movement direction is received and areference point of the movement destination shield object.
 22. The gamedevice according to claim 19, wherein the electronic play deviceprovides a shooting game using a simulated gun, and wherein the inputdevice includes a gun-type controller that can perform a simulatedoperation and left and right independent pedal switches that can beoperated to move the player character in one direction and the otherdirection as movement directing means.
 23. The game device according toclaim 22, further comprising a gun aiming position detecting unit thatdetects an aiming position of the gun-type controller, wherein movingspeed of the player character changes in accordance with the gun aimingposition.
 24. The game device according to claim 22, wherein, when themovement direction for a direction that is reverse to a moving directionis received from the pedal switch during a moving operation of theplayer character in the moving direction, the player character is turnedback to be moved in the reverse direction, and a new movementdestination is set in a movement direction after the turning-backoperation.
 25. The game device according to any one of claims 22 to 24,wherein the pedal switches also serve as special command inputting meansused for directing a special operation other than the moving operationto the player character in a case where a predetermined operation isinput under a predetermined condition.
 26. A game control method forcontrolling a moving operation of any of objects at a time when acoordinate transformation process for an image acquired by viewing theobjects inside a virtual space from a virtual view point in accordancewith an output from an input device that is operated by a player isperformed by using an image processing device and the transformed imageis displayed in a display device, wherein a plurality of the objects setin the virtual space includes a player character that is operated inaccordance with an operation of the player, an enemy character thatbecomes a match-up opponent of the player character, and a plurality ofshield objects that are disposed in movement areas of the playercharacter and the enemy character, and wherein, in a case where there isa movement direction for the player character and/or the enemycharacter, when a movement destination of one character, which receivesthe movement direction, between the player character and the enemycharacter at a time point when the movement direction is received isautomatically set based on a position relationship between the othercharacter and the shield objects, the movement destination of the onecharacter that receives the movement direction is set to a position inwhich at least a part of the one character is hidden behind the shieldobject, viewed from the view point of the other character.
 27. A gameprogram product comprising a computer usable medium having computerreadable program code embodied therein, the game program comprising:computer readable code configured to allow the computer of a gamedevice, which sets a player character that is operated in accordancewith an operation of a player, an enemy character that becomes amatch-up opponent of the player character, and a plurality of shieldobjects that are disposed in movement areas of the player character andthe enemy character in a virtual space as a plurality of objects,performs a coordinate transformation process for an image acquired byviewing the objects inside the virtual space from a virtual view pointin accordance with an output from an input device that is operated bythe player by using an image processing device, and displays thetransformed image in a display device, to perform, in a case where thereis a movement direction for the player character and/or the enemycharacter, when a movement destination of one character, which receivesthe movement direction, between the player character and the enemycharacter at a time point when the movement direction is received isautomatically set based on a position relationship between the othercharacter and the shield objects, a sequence for setting the movementdestination of the one character that receives the movement direction toa position in which at least a part of the one character is hiddenbehind the shield object, viewed from the view point of the othercharacter.
 28. A game device comprising: an image processing device thatdisposes a plurality of objects in a virtual space, changes the positionof a virtual view point in accordance with an output from an operationdevice operated by a player, performs a coordinate transformationprocess for an image acquired from viewing the objects within thevirtual space from the virtual view point, and displays the transformedimage in display means, wherein the image processing device includes:first means that disposes a first object in the virtual space; secondmeans that disposes a second object near the first object; third meansthat disposes the virtual view point in a first position near the secondobject; fourth means that disposes the virtual view point in a secondposition departed from the second object; fifth means that calculatesthe degree of influence of objects other than the first object and thesecond object on the first object; and sixth means that places thevirtual view point in the first position before the result ofcalculation exceeds a threshold value, moves the virtual view pointlocated in the first position from the first position to the secondposition when the result of calculation exceeds the threshold value tobe fixed to the second position, and releases fixing of the virtual viewpoint to the second position after a limited time elapses.
 29. The gamedevice according to claim 28, wherein the image processing devicefurther includes means for generating a warning mark in the displaymeans in a case where the degree of influence exceeds the thresholdvalue.
 30. The game device according to claim 28, wherein the limitedtime is a time period until the influenced first object exceeds thethreshold value to be exploded.
 31. The game device according to claim28, wherein the sixth means moves the virtual view point located in thesecond position to a position that is determined based on an output fromthe input device.
 32. The game device according to claim 28, wherein thesixth means moves the virtual view point located in the second positionto the first position.
 33. An image processing method in which a gamedevice including an image processing device that disposes a plurality ofobjects in a virtual space, changes the position of a virtual view pointin accordance with an output from an operation device operated by aplayer, performs a coordinate transformation process for an imageacquired from viewing the objects within the virtual space from thevirtual view point, and displays the transformed image in display meansis implemented, wherein the image processing device, based on a gameprogram, includes: a first process that disposes a first object in thevirtual space; a second process that disposes a second object near thefirst object; a third process that disposes the virtual view point in afirst position near the second object; a fourth process that disposesthe virtual view point in a second position departed from the secondobject; a fifth process that calculates the degree of influence ofobjects other than the first object and the second object on the firstobject; and a sixth process that places the virtual view point in thefirst position before the result of calculation exceeds a thresholdvalue, moves the virtual view point located in the first position fromthe first position to the second position when the result of calculationexceeds the threshold value to be fixed to the second position, andreleases fixing of the virtual view point to the second position after alimited time elapses.
 34. A game program product comprising a computerusable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein,the game program comprising computer readable code configured to allow agame device including an image processing device that disposes aplurality of objects in a virtual space, changes the position of avirtual view point in accordance with an output from an operation deviceoperated by a player, performs a coordinate transformation process foran image acquired from viewing the objects within the virtual space fromthe virtual view point, and displays the transformed image in displaymeans is implemented to perform: a first process that disposes a firstobject in the virtual space; a second process that disposes a secondobject near the first object; a third process that disposes the virtualview point in a first position near the second object; a fourth processthat disposes the virtual view point in a second position departed fromthe second object; a fifth process that calculates the degree ofinfluence of objects other than the first object and the second objecton the first object; and a sixth process that places the virtual viewpoint in the first position before the result of calculation exceeds athreshold value, moves the virtual view point located in the firstposition from the first position to the second position when the resultof calculation exceeds the threshold value to be fixed to the secondposition, and releases fixing of the virtual view point to the secondposition after a limited time elapses.
 35. A recording medium having thegame program recorded thereon that can be readable by the computer ofthe image processing device.